My experience at Fantasmic! last night was awful!
mini trip report

Now that I've experienced Fantasmic! first hand with the limited schedule I'm even more opposed to it than I was before. Hubby & I haven't seen F! in a while so we decided to go last night since the weather was cooperating. We went to the park late afternoon and, after doing a few other attractions, we headed over to F! around 7:45. They were already seating for the 9:00 show. Maybe 1/2 or 3/4 of the seats were filled but we found decent seats and up to this point, everything was fine. By the time 9:00 rolled around, every seat in the place was filled and this is when thinsg went downhill. Because EPCOT World Showcase is directly behind F! and illuminations and F! were both at 9:00, there were several instances where Illuminations either distracted from F! or totally ruined the show. For example, during the fight scene, the top of the mountain looked like a volcano erupting due to the EPCOT fireworks directly above the mountain top. Distracting but tolerable.... Then, as the 3 boats/barges with Sleeping Beauty, Ariel and Beauty were out and the fairly soft & romantic music for Beauty and the Beast was playing a HUGE burst of Illuminations fireworks exploded almost completely drowning out the music and totally ruining the scene. As the show ended, we made our way out of the theatre to head home. The line for the 10:30 show started at the usual walkway to F! theatre, went past BatB theatre, past Mouse about Town all the way to Sunset Coture Club and was still queueing up. Not only was it 8 - 10 people deep for the entire line but the people waiting covered not only the sidewalk on that side but also half of the street. It was almost impossible to exit down Sunset Blvd because of the crowd waiting for the 10:30 F! show. As we SLOWLY proceeded to Hollywood Blvd it continued to be chaos with people going in every direction not only from everyone exiting but from folks coming in to see the 10:30 show. I'm not sure when I will go back to DHS for Fantasmic again... I was very disappointed.

In summary, I can only say, please, Please PLEASE Disney suits, add more days (best case daily) of Fantasmic! shows. Last night was insanity!!!!

Now that I've experienced Fantasmic! first hand with the limited schedule I'm even more opposed to it than I was before. Hubby & I haven't seen F! in a while so we decided to go last night since the weather was cooperating. We went to the park late afternoon and, after doing a few other attractions, we headed over to F! around 7:45. They were already seating for the 9:00 show. Maybe 1/2 or 3/4 of the seats were filled but we found decent seats and up to this point, everything was fine. By the time 9:00 rolled around, every seat in the place was filled and this is when thinsg went downhill. Because EPCOT World Showcase is directly behind F! and illuminations and F! were both at 9:00, there were several instances where Illuminations either distracted from F! or totally ruined the show. For example, during the fight scene, the top of the mountain looked like a volcano erupting due to the EPCOT fireworks directly above the mountain top. Distracting but tolerable.... Then, as the 3 boats/barges with Sleeping Beauty, Ariel and Beauty were out and the fairly soft & romantic music for Beauty and the Beast was playing a HUGE burst of Illuminations fireworks exploded almost completely drowning out the music and totally ruining the scene. As the show ended, we made our way out of the theatre to head home. The line for the 10:30 show started at the usual walkway to F! theatre, went past BatB theatre, past Mouse about Town all the way to Sunset Coture Club and was still queueing up. Not only was it 8 - 10 people deep for the entire line but the people waiting covered not only the sidewalk on that side but also half of the street. It was almost impossible to exit down Sunset Blvd because of the crowd waiting for the 10:30 F! show. As we SLOWLY proceeded to Hollywood Blvd it continued to be chaos with people going in every direction not only from everyone exiting but from folks coming in to see the 10:30 show. I'm not sure when I will go back to DHS for Fantasmic again... I was very disappointed.

In summary, I can only say, please, Please PLEASE Disney suits, add more days (best case daily) of Fantasmic! shows. Last night was insanity!!!!

The issue with being able to see Illuminations has nothing to do with the limited schedule. Anytime the show is at 9 you'll have that issue. It's always been that way and the show usually starts at 9 for most of the summer.

The crowd issue however is a different story. Obviously that is caused by the limited schedule. I would say if you go back do two thing. First, don't see it if it's at 9. Second, go to the second show, but don't bother waiting in that line. I know it looks like a million people but I assure you it wouldn't have even filled the theatre. you could walk in at 10 minutes to the show and be fine.

IHeartThe Studios - I've seen F! at least 40 or 50 times and realize the issues with Illuminations competing w/ F! aren't directly related to the limited schedule (see my alternative suggestion below) but it just added to the dimished experience. I also know the 10:30 show would have been a better option but driving 45 minutes after the show & getting home after midnight wasn't an option. I think trying to exit the 9:00 show with the chaotic mob waiting on the sidewalk & street as well as entering the park for the 10:30 was the largest negative of the evening. While I love F! and, as a local, see it several times a year, I'm not sure when I will go back again. I mostly feel bad for tourists who only get to see it occasionally while on vacation. Every show should be 100% every time and the new schedule just doesn't provide that level of delightment.... If the suits REALLY want to provide a delightful F! experience, during summer hours they could schedule F! once a night around 9:30 so Illuminations doesn't intrude and crowds are dispersed over all 7 days. I know it's less expensive to run 2 shows a night 3 nighta a week but that schedule just doesn't provide an optimum experience. As a person who has experienced F! during optimum conditions, it was just very, very disappointing...

Again, I encourage all of you to stop by Guest Relations every time you visit DHS and complain about the cut back.

Thanks for sharing your experience Debbie

We just returned and I also want to complain about the new schedule. What address should I send my compaint to? No matter what the time of the show, the que line looks terrible. If you are not planning on going to the show, you can't get around. In order to get to one of the stores, I had to walk all the way around the que line. This is crazy. They must lose money, because people just can't be bothered getting around the crowd to shop. When I leave the 9:00 show I always shop, but did not this time.

We saw the show 3 times, this trip (2 in one night). We went because it had rained and I thought maybe the would lessent the crowd and then we just stayed for the 10:30 show too. My son's girlfriend wanted to go back again. So we went to the Sunday show (which would be our last chance since we would fly home on Tuesday). The Sunday show use insane and I never want to do that again. I love the show, but the crowd waiting more then 2 hours in advance is nuts.

As far as Illuminations goes. I remember seeing the fireworks after the Fantasmic show. So I thought the show must have been at 8:30, because we always hung around after the show to watch the fireworks from Illuminations.

Again, I encourage all of you to stop by Guest Relations every time you visit DHS and complain about the cut back.

Or you could do what I do and just plain not feed the Mouse with your money in any aspect. Disney feeds on gullible dupes like us by charging ridiculous prices that just keep going up and up and up, even during recession, and for what?

"In an age of fads, copycats, and rapidly changing trends, you have chosen to stand out from the rest and be an individual. We applaud your courage and self-expression. Thanks for being a part of our show today. Don't ever change. The world needs more people with your spirit." - The Citizens of Hollywood